To US expats - Registration with Medicare at age 65

[Searat7]

If you are fortunate enough to have a large income be prepared for a shock because Medicare B is indexed to your income for prior year and the base monthly fee of $135 can increase significantly even though you live in Thailand. 

[CHiangMaiMuu]

On 9/7/2019 at 1:11 PM, sfokevin said:

To say not eligible is incorrect... You can buy the insurance but to receive any benefit you must be in the US hospital or pharmacy... and if you don't buy in at 65 the insurance cost rises 10% every year and can only be bought during a special enrollment period every year...

What SSI told me when I was back in the States 2014-2018 was that I had to pay the full premium for every year that I had been without Medicare coverage. So I told them to get screwed. They ripped me off for about $1,000.00 off the top when I first got SSD, and I cancelled Medicare then in protest. 

To get back I would have to pay a penalty that is stupid expensive and dishonest. 

[AAArdvark]

3 minutes ago, CHiangMaiMuu said:

To get back I would have to pay a penalty that is stupid expensive and dishonest.

Not.

Otherwise people would just wait until they got sick to sign up for medicare.  It is fair.  You have the option to not sign up OR if you have some form of qualifying insurance there is no penalty.  Sounds fair to me.

[ericthai]

1 hour ago, oceanbreeze851 said:

I live in the USA now and for the next 6 months. I started medicare at 65 and my tricare prime was changed to tricare for life. Medicare part A is what you have been paying into for your whole working life. It is deducted from your paycheck just like social security and income tax. Part B is what you will pay monthly at $135. It covers office visits and out of hospital procedures. Supplements C, D, E, F all add to the coverage in different way at a cost. With tricare for life, I do not need any supplements but I need to continue paying for part B even when I am out of the country. The good thing about tricare for life is that it can change to tricare overseas which will pay at a 80/20 split. When I return to USA for visits it will return tricare for life.

Dont ever let any agent try and take you off of tricare!  That is the best you will ever get.

[Balance]

19 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

So I understand there is a penalty for Supp B if one does not sign up for it when first eligible.  I had not looked into Supp D much.  So if I truly do reside in the USA, is there any penalty for not signing up for Supp D at a time after my first Supp B eligibility, i.e. can a US resident sign up for Supp D at any time without penalty?

A word of caution about Medicare.  This information is a few years old, when I signed up and then decided to move to Chiang Mai.  Check to make sure that you do not need a U.S. address of record for Medicare as I did for the Kaiser Senior Advantage Plan.  There was a rule that you had to reside in the U.S. for X number of months a year (can't remember the number).

 

Medicare does not cover any services other that emergencies while traveling if you are outside of the U.S. or territories.  I kept a U.S. address at a family member where all Medicare and Kaiser documents were sent and where important things were scanned and forwarded.  If you have a problem that you are not going to come out of pocket for in Thailand, you will have to come back to the U.S.  A few years ago my aFIB became highly symptomatic and I returned to the U.S. The diagnostic and candidacy protocols took 3 months to work through and then the problem was fixed.  There were hospitals in BKK and CM that could have dealt with the issue, however the newer procedure for the ablation was not yet available. 

 

FYI, retired military are covered overseas under Tricare. 

[gk10002000]

2 hours ago, Searat7 said:

If you are fortunate enough to have a large income be prepared for a shock because Medicare B is indexed to your income for prior year and the base monthly fee of $135 can increase significantly even though you live in Thailand. 

oh yes.  I am well aware of the income and pricing.  Goal is to keep income below $85,000 so have to keep an eye on how much Traditional IRA to ROTH IRA I convert every year, how much my Dividends and interest pay out from my regular brokerage account, how much my social security is, etc. 

[gk10002000]

2 minutes ago, Balance said:

A word of caution about Medicare.  This information is a few years old, when I signed up and then decided to move to Chiang Mai.  Check to make sure that you do not need a U.S. address of record for Medicare as I did for the Kaiser Senior Advantage Plan.  There was a rule that you had to reside in the U.S. for X number of months a year (can't remember the number).

 

Medicare does not cover any services other that emergencies while traveling if you are outside of the U.S. or territories.  I kept a U.S. address at a family member where all Medicare and Kaiser documents were sent and where important things were scanned and forwarded.  If you have a problem that you are not going to come out of pocket for in Thailand, you will have to come back to the U.S.  A few years ago my aFIB became highly symptomatic and I returned to the U.S. The diagnostic and candidacy protocols took 3 months to work through and then the problem was fixed.  There were hospitals in BKK and CM that could have dealt with the issue, however the newer procedure for the ablation was not yet available. 

 

FYI, retired military are covered overseas under Tricare. 

Yep.  well aware of medicare and USA only basically.  My brother in law just went through the ablation and he seems to be doing well.  Hop you are too

[thailand49]

13 hours ago, flbkk said:

Supplements and Advantage Plans are allowed to cover emergencies on the first 60 days of a trip, at 80%, with a $250 deductible and a $50 lifetime limit. So you can use overseas in any meaningful way. Nevertheless I keep Part A and B with a High F supplement. I come to USA fir a few weeks a year, keep a residence there. I also have kept dental, vision, and Part D, s cheap plan. It’s not a perfect solution but if I get sick and can make it back to the USA it will help me. The plan F covers some things outside of Medicare, the 60 day travel benefit, Silver Sneakers (free US gyms which I do use). And it’s good on any USA state at any doctors or hospitals that take Medicare. Advantage Plans use a network of providers in your USA county only, except for out of state emergencies. I can’t get thai social security (government health insurance) and I have thai Aetna but it excludes anything cardiac and it’s injury and accident coverage is very low. I may drop it next year and get accident insurance from my bank. 

Don't go bank, I use a broker from an Expat club independent accident policy 2000 to 4000 baht a year coverage 50-100,000 of course like Medical insurance you get into the mid 60's coverage is higher but I'm still covered.

[cmarshall]

10 hours ago, Balance said:

A word of caution about Medicare.  This information is a few years old, when I signed up and then decided to move to Chiang Mai.  Check to make sure that you do not need a U.S. address of record for Medicare as I did for the Kaiser Senior Advantage Plan.  There was a rule that you had to reside in the U.S. for X number of months a year (can't remember the number).

 

Medicare does not cover any services other that emergencies while traveling if you are outside of the U.S. or territories.  I kept a U.S. address at a family member where all Medicare and Kaiser documents were sent and where important things were scanned and forwarded.  If you have a problem that you are not going to come out of pocket for in Thailand, you will have to come back to the U.S.  A few years ago my aFIB became highly symptomatic and I returned to the U.S. The diagnostic and candidacy protocols took 3 months to work through and then the problem was fixed.  There were hospitals in BKK and CM that could have dealt with the issue, however the newer procedure for the ablation was not yet available. 

 

FYI, retired military are covered overseas under Tricare. 

It is the height of foolishness for an expat to sign up for any Medicare services other than Part A and B, such as Medicare Advantage, Part D, etc.  In the first case, since you are not eligible by virtue of not residing in the US, you are committing fraud, the upshot of which is that were the insurance company or Medicare to get wind of your fraud they could certainly rescind your policy and refuse to pay your claim.  In that case, although you paid the premiums you never got the insurance you thought you were paying for.

 

But, even assuming the insurance co. is not likely to uncover your fraud, you gained nothing by buying that insurance as an expat.  We expats are entitled to buy into any of the Medicare or Medicare Advantage programs within 2 months of repatriating without penalty and without excluding any pre-existing conditions.  Probably we could buy it the day we land in the airport.  So, the intelligent and legal solution is, if an emergency arises, fly home, buy the insurance immediately, and go to the hospital.  

Edited September 11, 2019 by cmarshall

[AAArdvark]

1 hour ago, cmarshall said:

We expats are entitled to buy into any of the Medicare or Medicare Advantage programs within 2 months of repatriating without penalty

Can you share where you found that information?  It directly contradicts what I have been told by Medicare.  Can it be that you are talking about the ability to sign up outside of the normal enrollment period?

 

I did find this from Medicare but it means you have to have been living overseas at the time you you turned 65.  But if your were 65 prior to moving overseas it does not apply.

 

"If you turned 65 while living overseas and you didn’t sign up for Medicare when you were first eligible, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you return to the U.S. and lasts three months. You generally don’t need to pay a late-enrollment penalty if you enroll during this three-month period."

Edited September 11, 2019 by AAArdvark

[AAArdvark]

2 hours ago, thailand49 said:

Don't go bank, I use a broker from an Expat club independent accident policy 2000 to 4000 baht a year coverage 50-100,000 of course like Medical insurance you get into the mid 60's coverage is higher but I'm still covered.

Are you talking about only accident insurance which would cover you for falling off your skate board but not cancer or a heart attack?  If that is the case, why would age have anything to do with accidents other than someone might be more prone to falling off said skate board.

The insurance needed is general health insurance.

[thailand49]

8 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

Are you talking about only accident insurance which would cover you for falling off your skate board but not cancer or a heart attack?  If that is the case, why would age have anything to do with accidents other than someone might be more prone to falling off said skate board.

The insurance needed is general health insurance.

Great question!  Yes that is what I'm talking about!  When you use the example skate board, if you read the fine print in a accident policy

in Thailand you might see something like " dangerous sport "  if you know anything about Thailand I put pretty good money they will not cover you if you told them the reason why you broke your arm.

I'm 67, years old there are a number of Thai companies that wouldn't even cover me if I told them I was riding my mountain bike on Sukhumvit even all the way to Bangkok a number of times from Pattaya. That I'm still climbing roofs and painting two story buildings and playing Basketball with kids in their teens and twenties once a week.

I have an accident policy like my son he is 20 now, he paids 2000 baht while I have to pay 3500 baht a year that company stops coverage at 70 year old and will only consider renewing? 

Like their medical insurance they discriminate and just last week the government just approved Duel pricing for expat and tourist at Government hospital are you starting to get my point?

If you need general health go the the Forum for Medical...  medical insurance is sold like ala Cart, that is outpatient and inpatient as you get older the premium start to rise until it becomes unafforable policy loaded with fine print " pre-existing condition " once you get to 60 it goes downhill fast after that with coverage and premiums!

[smo]

11 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

13 hours ago, cmarshall said:

We expats are entitled to buy into any of the Medicare or Medicare Advantage programs within 2 months of repatriating without penalty

Can you share where you found that information?  It directly contradicts what I have been told by Medicare.  Can it be that you are talking about the ability to sign up outside of the normal enrollment period?

 

I did find this from Medicare but it means you have to have been living overseas at the time you you turned 65.  But if your were 65 prior to moving overseas it does not apply.

 

"If you turned 65 while living overseas and you didn’t sign up for Medicare when you were first eligible, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you return to the U.S. and lasts three months. You generally don’t need to pay a late-enrollment penalty if you enroll during this three-month period."

Does this option to "buy into any of the Medicare or Medicare Advantage programs within 2 months of repatriating without penalty" include or exclude part B? I know at least that is the case with part D where the Initial Enrollment Period starts 3 months prior and after the date of repatriation for expats - but part B keeps its IEP tied to one's 65th birthday regardless of residence location, and the penalty for late registration goes up by 10%  year after year. Pray tell whether this is correct info or not? Of course lacking the welcome packet I'm paddling in the sea of general information here...

[gk10002000]

23 hours ago, Balance said:

A word of caution about Medicare.  This information is a few years old, when I signed up and then decided to move to Chiang Mai.  Check to make sure that you do not need a U.S. address of record for Medicare as I did for the Kaiser Senior Advantage Plan.  There was a rule that you had to reside in the U.S. for X number of months a year (can't remember the number).

 

Medicare does not cover any services other that emergencies while traveling if you are outside of the U.S. or territories.  I kept a U.S. address at a family member where all Medicare and Kaiser documents were sent and where important things were scanned and forwarded.  If you have a problem that you are not going to come out of pocket for in Thailand, you will have to come back to the U.S.  A few years ago my aFIB became highly symptomatic and I returned to the U.S. The diagnostic and candidacy protocols took 3 months to work through and then the problem was fixed.  There were hospitals in BKK and CM that could have dealt with the issue, however the newer procedure for the ablation was not yet available. 

 

FYI, retired military are covered overseas under Tricare. 

interesting that you point out physically supposedly being in a USA location for some period of time.  When I first got Florida Blue Cross, even though I had been a legal resident of Florida for 6 years, they still demanded proof I was physically in the state for 6 months contiuous time period!  Now, I was a contractor and worked all over the USA at the time in many cities, always maintaining my Florida residence, paying rent, utilities, ID etc.  but rarely for 6 months straight.  Luckily just then I actually got a contract job in Florida and could meet the Blue Cross needs

[cmarshall]

10 hours ago, smo said:

Does this option to "buy into any of the Medicare or Medicare Advantage programs within 2 months of repatriating without penalty" include or exclude part B? I know at least that is the case with part D where the Initial Enrollment Period starts 3 months prior and after the date of repatriation for expats - but part B keeps its IEP tied to one's 65th birthday regardless of residence location, and the penalty for late registration goes up by 10%  year after year. Pray tell whether this is correct info or not? Of course lacking the welcome packet I'm paddling in the sea of general information here...

Well, you can buy into Part B as a returning expat, but you would have to pay the permanent penalty for the period during which you were not enrolled. 

[Pib]

On 9/11/2019 at 11:06 AM, AAArdvark said:

Can you share where you found that information?  It directly contradicts what I have been told by Medicare.  Can it be that you are talking about the ability to sign up outside of the normal enrollment period?

 

I did find this from Medicare but it means you have to have been living overseas at the time you you turned 65.  But if your were 65 prior to moving overseas it does not apply.

 

"If you turned 65 while living overseas and you didn’t sign up for Medicare when you were first eligible, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you return to the U.S. and lasts three months. You generally don’t need to pay a late-enrollment penalty if you enroll during this three-month period."

 

Yea, but that option is only under "special conditions."  See full details at the link below (which is probably where you got your partial quote above).  I include a partial quote from the link below...see link for full details.

 

https://www.medicareconsumerguide.com/moving-to-us-and-enrolling-in-medicare

 

Quote

Special Enrollment Periods

If you turned 65 while living overseas and you didn’t sign up for Medicare when you were first eligible, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you return to the U.S. and lasts three months. You generally don’t need to pay a late-enrollment penalty if you enroll during this three-month period.

You may also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you were living overseas and covered by an employer-based health plan. You can sign up for Medicare Part A and/or Part B anytime as long as either you or your spouse is working and covered through health coverage based on current employment. If your employment or group coverage ends, your Special Enrollment Period begins after you or your spouse stops working or the group health insurance based on current employment ends (whichever occurs first). This Special Enrollment Period lasts for eight months. Note that COBRA and employer retirement health plans don’t typically qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period because this coverage isn’t based on current employment.

You might also be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period if you were a volunteer serving outside the U.S. for at least 12 months on behalf of a tax-exempt organization and had health insurance coverage for the duration of the service. Your six-month Special Enrollment Period begins when one of the following happens:

• Your volunteer service outside of the U.S. ends.
• The volunteer organization loses its tax-exempt status.
• Your health plan that was providing coverage overseas ends.

Usually, you don’t pay a late-enrollment penalty if you sign up during a Special Enrollment Period.

 

 

[AAArdvark]

4 hours ago, Pib said:

 

Yea, but that option is only under "special conditions."  See full details at the link below (which is probably where you got your partial quote above).  I include a partial quote from the link below...see link for full details.

 

https://www.medicareconsumerguide.com/moving-to-us-and-enrolling-in-medicare

 

 

Sorry, I don't see "special conditions".  I just see "special enrollment" period.  I still believe that the point is that if you are living overseas and then turn 65, it is possible to return to the US later and enroll without penalties.  If you turned 65 prior to moving overseas and did not sign up prior to moving, penalties appear to be unavoidable.  Or am I missing something else? 

[Pib]

20 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Sorry, I don't see "special conditions".  I just see "special enrollment" period.  I still believe that the point is that if you are living overseas and then turn 65, it is possible to return to the US later and enroll without penalties.  If you turned 65 prior to moving overseas and did not sign up prior to moving, penalties appear to be unavoidable.  Or am I missing something else? 

Sure, it's possible, but only if meeting one of the few special conditions which the great majority of people will not meet.   Like you have just been living in Thailand on your retirement visa/extension of stay that is not one of the special conditions allowed.

[gk10002000]

7 hours ago, Pib said:

Sure, it's possible, but only if meeting one of the few special conditions which the great majority of people will not meet.   Like you have just been living in Thailand on your retirement visa/extension of stay that is not one of the special conditions allowed.

That seems proper.  Just being out of country would be a huge loophole.  Otherwise many people would or could just go hang out in some other country and then come back at their convenience and not have to pay a penalty that millions of others would have to pay that had stayed in the USA but did not sign up. 

[AAArdvark]

4 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

That seems proper.  Just being out of country would be a huge loophole.  Otherwise many people would or could just go hang out in some other country and then come back at their convenience and not have to pay a penalty that millions of others would have to pay that had stayed in the USA but did not sign up. 

There are two categories.  If you lived in the US beyond the age of 65 and did not sign up, you would pay the penalty.   However, if you left the US at age say 63 and moved to Thailand, you are allowed to sign up without penalty after returning to the US. 

Twice, the term "special conditions" was mentioned but I have been unable to find a mention of "special conditions".  This could be accurate but I cannot find the "special condition" information anywhere.

[gk10002000]

18 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

There are two categories.  If you lived in the US beyond the age of 65 and did not sign up, you would pay the penalty.   However, if you left the US at age say 63 and moved to Thailand, you are allowed to sign up without penalty after returning to the US. 

Twice, the term "special conditions" was mentioned but I have been unable to find a mention of "special conditions".  This could be accurate but I cannot find the "special condition" information anywhere.

Mr PIB quoted the special conditions in his post above

[Pib]

17 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

Sorry, I don't see "special conditions".  I just see "special enrollment" period.  I still believe that the point is that if you are living overseas and then turn 65, it is possible to return to the US later and enroll without penalties.  If you turned 65 prior to moving overseas and did not sign up prior to moving, penalties appear to be unavoidable.  Or am I missing something else? 

 

The conditions/qualifications/requirements (whatever you want to call it) to enroll during the special enrollment period usually without a Medicare late enrollment penalty are listed in the link and partial quote I gave earlier.  Here they are again. 

 

But i think you will see about the only condition/qualification/requirement that would apply for most folks, like a person living in Thailand on a retirement or marriage visa/extension of stay, would to be the qualification/condition of already being covered by an employer-based medical program or the spouse's medical plan providing group-coverage for the person.   Now when drilling deeper (not covered below) a "self-employed" person might also meet the qualification requirements if they can prove medical coverage and usually tax returns also have to be provided to prove they are paying required medicare taxes.

 

https://www.medicareconsumerguide.com/moving-to-us-and-enrolling-in-medicare

 

Quote

Special Enrollment Periods

If you turned 65 while living overseas and you didn’t sign up for Medicare when you were first eligible, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you return to the U.S. and lasts three months. You generally don’t need to pay a late-enrollment penalty if you enroll during this three-month period.

 

You may also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you were living overseas and covered by an employer-based health plan. You can sign up for Medicare Part A and/or Part B anytime as long as either you or your spouse is working and covered through health coverage based on current employment. If your employment or group coverage ends, your Special Enrollment Period begins after you or your spouse stops working or the group health insurance based on current employment ends (whichever occurs first). This Special Enrollment Period lasts for eight months. Note that COBRA and employer retirement health plans don’t typically qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period because this coverage isn’t based on current employment.

 

You might also be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period if you were a volunteer serving outside the U.S. for at least 12 months on behalf of a tax-exempt organization and had health insurance coverage for the duration of the service. Your six-month Special Enrollment Period begins when one of the following happens:

• Your volunteer service outside of the U.S. ends.
• The volunteer organization loses its tax-exempt status.
• Your health plan that was providing coverage overseas ends.

Usually, you don’t pay a late-enrollment penalty if you sign up during a Special Enrollment Period

 

 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Pib

[AAArdvark]

4 hours ago, Pib said:

 

The conditions/qualifications/requirements (whatever you want to call it) to enroll during the special enrollment period usually without a Medicare late enrollment penalty are listed in the link and partial quote I gave earlier.  Here they are again. 

 

But i think you will see about the only condition/qualification/requirement that would apply for most folks, like a person living in Thailand on a retirement or marriage visa/extension of stay, would to be the qualification/condition of already being covered by an employer-based medical program or the spouse's medical plan providing group-coverage for the person.   Now when drilling deeper (not covered below) a "self-employed" person might also meet the qualification requirements if they can prove medical coverage and usually tax returns also have to be provided to prove they are paying required medicare taxes.

 

https://www.medicareconsumerguide.com/moving-to-us-and-enrolling-in-medicare

 

 

I think that we will need to agree to disagree.  There are special conditions that apply to people who resided in the US at the time they turned 65 and then moved overseas.  However, I still see no special conditions that apply to people who resided overseas at the time of turning 65.  That rule appears to be totally separate. 

"If you turned 65 while living overseas and you didn’t sign up for Medicare when you were first eligible, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you return to the U.S. and lasts three months. You generally don’t need to pay a late-enrollment penalty if you enroll during this three-month period."

Special enrollment period not special conditions.

Edited September 13, 2019 by AAArdvark

[gk10002000]

On 9/12/2019 at 10:43 PM, AAArdvark said:

I think that we will need to agree to disagree.  There are special conditions that apply to people who resided in the US at the time they turned 65 and then moved overseas.  However, I still see no special conditions that apply to people who resided overseas at the time of turning 65.  That rule appears to be totally separate. 

"If you turned 65 while living overseas and you didn’t sign up for Medicare when you were first eligible, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that starts when you return to the U.S. and lasts three months. You generally don’t need to pay a late-enrollment penalty if you enroll during this three-month period."

Special enrollment period not special conditions.

There is no way the SSA will leave such an easy escape for people not to register late and not to pay penalty, just by leaving the USA and coming back later.  Thousands upon thousands would do that.   I believe Mr Pib has relayed the most accurate information.  If you have doubts, of course you should check directly with the SSA and see if you can get firm written confirmation and explanation that a person of 63 can leave then come back after 65 and join without any late signup penalty and without having to do anything special.  If you are wrong in your understanding and proceed. you may not be happy when you come back

[watcharacters]

On 9/9/2019 at 5:43 AM, cmarshall said:

Wrong in every particular.  It's only Part B that has the 10% penalty if you sign up later.  Expats can and do sign up for Part B.  For every other part we are not eligible, i.e. we can only buy it if we fraudulently and foolishly claim to reside in the US.  

 

Are you thinking any Medicare benefits are available  to a US citizen living outside the USA?

 

[taxout]

I moved back to the U.S. after living outside the country.

 

What can I do?

 

Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

 

When?

 

Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you move back to the U.S.

 

https://www.medicare.gov/sign-up-change-plans/when-can-i-join-a-health-or-drug-plan/special-circumstances-special-enrollment-periods

[Rdrokit]

Since when is Part B automatic? It wasn't automatic for me but I am 72 now. Since it cost you money I though you had to sign up. 

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, Rdrokit said:

Since when is Part B automatic? It wasn't automatic for me but I am 72 now. Since it cost you money I though you had to sign up. 

If living here you have to apply for it.

In the states it is automatic.

[smo]

This is the reply I got from SS Manila:

"The automatic enrollment in Medicare, especially for Part B, only occurs if your mailing address in the record is in the USA. But if it is a foreign address, it is not automatic. Therefore, please print the attached form CMS40B and fill it out. Upon completion, please scan it in pdf format and email it back to me.

 

Please note, however, that medical expenses incurred outside of the USA are NOT covered by Medicare (except if you are enrolled in Tricare – a health insurance for US military personnel). Therefore, you can only avail Medicare if you are physically in the USA. Otherwise, if you will not be back to the USA, you will just be paying for nothing. So I hope it is clear to you.

 

 Part A (Hospitalization) does NOT involve any monthly premium since you already paid for it while you were working in the USA. Part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), however, is the one that involves a monthly premium."

 

From the first sentence in the reply, to be on the safe side, I deduce that I'm not signed up for part A automatically either, but then the SS rep did not give me a form to sign up for part A, as he did for part B? I wish he spelled this out but he didn't...Also there this business of the red, white and blue card mentioned on Medicare website:

 

"When you’re enrolled in Medicare, you’ll get your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail. If you're automatically enrolled, you'll get your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail 3 months before your 65th birthday or your 25th month of getting disability benefits. Your Medicare card shows that you have Medicare health insurance. It shows whether you have Part A (Hospital Insurance), Part B (Medical Insurance) or both, and it shows the date your coverage starts."

 

As I haven't received the welcome packet, I haven't got the Medicare card either (the SS rep did not say anything about the packet even though I had asked about it.) Has anyone got it while still living in Thailand (or anywhere abroad, ie not in the US) ?

[riclag]

1 hour ago, smo said:

This is the reply I got from SS Manila:

"The automatic enrollment in Medicare, especially for Part B, only occurs if your mailing address in the record is in the USA. But if it is a foreign address, it is not automatic. Therefore, please print the attached form CMS40B and fill it out. Upon completion, please scan it in pdf format and email it back to me.

 

Please note, however, that medical expenses incurred outside of the USA are NOT covered by Medicare (except if you are enrolled in Tricare – a health insurance for US military personnel). Therefore, you can only avail Medicare if you are physically in the USA. Otherwise, if you will not be back to the USA, you will just be paying for nothing. So I hope it is clear to you.

 

 Part A (Hospitalization) does NOT involve any monthly premium since you already paid for it while you were working in the USA. Part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), however, is the one that involves a monthly premium."

 

From the first sentence in the reply, to be on the safe side, I deduce that I'm not signed up for part A automatically either, but then the SS rep did not give me a form to sign up for part A, as he did for part B? I wish he spelled this out but he didn't...Also there this business of the red, white and blue card mentioned on Medicare website:

 

"When you’re enrolled in Medicare, you’ll get your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail. If you're automatically enrolled, you'll get your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail 3 months before your 65th birthday or your 25th month of getting disability benefits. Your Medicare card shows that you have Medicare health insurance. It shows whether you have Part A (Hospital Insurance), Part B (Medical Insurance) or both, and it shows the date your coverage starts."

 

As I haven't received the welcome packet, I haven't got the Medicare card either (the SS rep did not say anything about the packet even though I had asked about it.) Has anyone got it while still living in Thailand (or anywhere abroad, ie not in the US) ?

I realize your question is while living in Thailand!

I believe the reason you didn't get part A is because you are automatically enrolled in Part A,like everyone else! Also once they receive that CMS 40B they will act on that whether or not you decide to accept  plan B. Then I would think you will get your Medicare card with what your eligible for .

Edited September 23, 2019 by riclag